Class action lawsuits filed after Citizens Bank data breach
Citizens Bank faces class action lawsuits after a third-party vendor data breach exposed some customers' personal information, despite the bank's claims of minimal impact and no fraud.Summary
Citizens Bank, headquartered in Providence, is facing two class action lawsuits filed in US District Court after a data breach involving a third-party vendor exposed personal information of a few thousand customers. The bank disclosed that most data involved was masked test data, but a limited set of real customer information—specifically names, addresses, and account numbers typically found on written checks—was affected. Citizens maintains there is no evidence of unauthorized access to its network or resulting fraud, and it plans to contact affected customers directly via email or letter while monitoring their accounts. The lawsuits, brought by residents of Ohio and Maine, allege the bank was hacked by the cybercriminal syndicate Everest, which reportedly leaked stolen data on the dark web. Plaintiffs accuse Citizens of negligence and breaching implied contracts to safeguard customer data, seeking over $5 million in damages. An attorney representing one plaintiff stated the case aims to hold the bank accountable and ensure long-term safeguards, while Citizens has responded that the claims are generally inaccurate.
(Source：The Boston Globe)